Gap Year or Apply to Limited Number of Schools?

[13962Girl]

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I am a currently a junior considering applying to med school in the upcoming cycle, Class of 2016. I took the MCAT for the first, and so far only time, in August of 2014 and scored a balanced 35. However, I feel my application will be stronger next year - my GPA will likely be higher, and my ECs will definitely be stronger. Hence, I am starting to think I will stand a better chance of acceptance if I apply next year rather than this year.

My concern is my MCAT score expiring. There are a handful of schools that I am considering that indicate they will accept only the new MCAT after the 2016 cycle. Do you think it would be good strategy to apply only to these schools this year with my current application, "warts and all," and then save the other schools that will continue to accept the "old" MCAT for a longer period of time for the 2017 cycle, when I feel my app will be stronger? It is my understanding that I am only viewed as a "reapplicant" to schools to which I have actually previously applied, and not to any other schools. Is that correct?

 

[PREMED1992]

Would you be happy going to ANY of the schools that you would theoretically apply to in the upcoming cycle? With your application you more than likely would get acceptances...and getting an acceptance to a school that you consider ok but that wouldn't be your first choice, and then turning down said acceptance to apply to more top tier schools in another cycle is a huge no no...

 

[kevinsword91]

^This.

I would caution to not rush into a cycle with an app only half baked. I decided to take a gap year and the additional year gave me time to improve my extracurriculars, secure LORs, and increase my GPA. I'm fairly confident if I had rushed in my application(like several of my classmates)I would have been rejected outright(as many of them were).

 

[13962Girl]

One of the schools, UCSF, I would be absolutely thrilled to attend. The others (just 2, actually) I would be happy to attend, but instead of some other schools that I might prefer that I would stand a better chance at with another year under my belt? Of that I'm not sure.

Frankly, I am surprised these schools aren't accepting the 'old' MCAT score through 2017 (though UCSF "strongly" suggests the new MCAT for 2016 and says to call admissions for 2017). The other schools' websites say they they will accept scores up to 3 years old and don't specifically address old v. new, but according to the AAMC website's official chart they will only accept the 2015 MCAT for the 2017 cycle. Under the 3 year rule, a 2014 score would still be valid in 2017.

Guess a few phone calls to some admissions departments are in order!

 

[PREMED1992]

Yeah...and i mean your app will never be perfect...so if you really think your in a good position to apply this upcoming cycle i mean don't hesitate...just make sure you evaluate and that you get some good advice from your advisor. What im saying is - you said you'd like to strengthen your ECs....that could mean that they're strong and youd like to make them stronger (in which case the ball is in your court as to whether or not you want to wait a year) or they might be weak and you want to make them average (in which case the gap year would be more advisable)...etc.....

Also I dont think anyone would advise you to apply to only 3 schools in any cycle...theres kind of just no point in doing that...you make your chance of being a reapplicant (which apparently is a label you dont necessarily want to have if you dont have to) that much higher.

You can probably try asking @LizzyM @Goro @gyngyn to weigh in...theyre far more experienced than any of us are 🙂

 

[Goro]

I'm a firm believer in applying once, with the best possible app....even if it means waiting a year, and, in your case, repeating the MCAT.

BUT, what is your cGPA/sGPA as of right now?

How are your ECs?

Remember, perfect is the enemy of good.

I am a currently a junior considering applying to med school in the upcoming cycle, Class of 2016. I took the MCAT for the first, and so far only time, in August of 2014 and scored a balanced 35. However, I feel my application will be stronger next year - my GPA will likely be higher, and my ECs will definitely be stronger. Hence, I am starting to think I will stand a better chance of acceptance if I apply next year rather than this year.

My concern is my MCAT score expiring. There are a handful of schools that I am considering that indicate they will accept only the new MCAT after the 2016 cycle. Do you think it would be good strategy to apply only to these schools this year with my current application, "warts and all," and then save the other schools that will continue to accept the "old" MCAT for a longer period of time for the 2017 cycle, when I feel my app will be stronger? It is my understanding that I am only viewed as a "reapplicant" to schools to which I have actually previously applied, and not to any other schools. Is that correct?

 

[13962Girl]

cGPA is 3.5, sGPA about the same, hopefully at least a 3.6 by end of this semester. ECs are very research-heavy with one first author pub and presentation, and 2 pending pubs (not first author). My weakness is clinical and shadowing - will have about 50 hrs shadowing and 150 clinical by June. If I wait until next year to apply, these numbers (esp. the clinical volunteering) will be MUCH higher, and hopefully the GPA, too.

I am not inclined to take the MCAT again just so I can include 2or 3 schools in the 2017 cycle, since I run the risk of scoring lower which would then jeopardize my app for every other school. I also want to focus on my GPA as much as possible.

Regarding the reapplicant stigma, I read on the AAMC website that you are only considered a reapplicant by schools to which you have previously applied - is that not true?

 

[13962Girl]

Here's the AAMC link regarding the reapplicant question. Their answer seems pretty clear to me, but perhaps it is different in practice.

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/301606/amiareapplicanttoallschools.html

 

[DokterMom]

How important is it to you personally to go to a "top-ranked" medical school rather than a "mid-tier" US MD school?

Someone once said ( @Goro ?) to classify things general terms -- buckets:

• Poor,
  
• Fair,
  
• Average,
  
• Good,
  
• Very Good,
  
• Excellent

And that your application would be reviewed in those terms, with "All Excellent" required for top tier programs and a bit of 'mix' being tolerable further down the ranking ladder. This makes a lot of intuitive sense to me, and may be a good way for you to look at things. From what you've said so far, it seems like your application is:

• MCAT - Excellent
• GPA - Average to Good
• Research - Excellent
• Clinical exposure / Shadowing - Fair to Average

You did not mention

• Volunteering - ?
• Diversity, backstory, URM - ?

Seems to me like your stats are probably good enough this year for mid-tier, but have the potential to become good enough for near-top-tier if you wait a year. (Of course, that's only if you are certain you can get your GPA up over 3.7 or so. Top Tier schools don't need to compromise on anything.)

Any chance you can cram more clinical and/or volunteer hours in before June? Spring Break at a nursing home or Alzheimer's care center? Working with disabled children? Homeless? Soup Kitchen? Any activities you've started earlier where you can cram in more hours now and 'average them out' to show a 'longer term commitment'?

A 35 is a terrible thing to waste...

 

[13962Girl]

I am not URM, and it's not that important to me to go to a top-tier med school (though I wouldn't object!!). I am somewhat more concerned with location and cost than rank. Cost is a big consideration since I am a CA resident and thus likely looking at paying OOS tuition.

My clinical hours will consist of hospital volunteering, and I have thrown my hat in the ring for a summer ER volunteer program that, aside from being a great experience, would add about 250 hours to my app. If that doesn't materialize, I can put in as many hours at the hospital this summervas they will let me. As for non clinical volunteering, all I have at this point is a small number of hours in connection with new student orientation at my university. I do plan on continuing with my research activity through graduation as well.

For what it's worth (and I understand it's worth very little if anything at all) I currently attend a top-ranked undergrad with a reputation for grade deflation.

 

[13962Girl]

And DokterMom I couldn't agree more with your statement about a 35 being a terrible thing to waste!! Hence my conundrum....

 

[DokterMom]

Your focus on location and cost is something most here will understand and fully agree with - bravo.

OK then -- Some colleges are known for grade deflation. Princeton, Cornell and UC Berkley among them. Others have been mentioned, and a thread-search might reveal if your school is among them. If that's the case, you'll get some slack on your GPA, so upgrade it to the Good-Very Good bucket. If your school deflates but isn't known for it, then you've just got bad luck there...

If you broaden your horizons for volunteering -- it does NOT have to be a hospital, clinic, etc. -- then you may be able to get in a lot more hours before the time to apply comes up. Think outside the box -- anywhere where people are hurting or in need of help will demonstrate the kinds of characteristics you're wanting to show. Hospice. Suicide hotline. Teaching English, reading or math to disadvantaged kids, delivering meals on wheels, Planned Parenthood, even working on a political campaign. Many wannabe-med students fall into the 'hospital volunteering trap' where they sign up and wait, go through orientation and wait, train and wait -- then get a few hours on a busy schedule and show up and sit around waiting. Hospital volunteering is not the be-all and end-all of volunteering opportunities. (Plus it's cliche.) And it doesn't need to be especially organized either -- Call a few causes that you really believe in and give them your Spring Break.

Bottom line -- I think you can apply this year with a pretty decent chance of success. Especially if you crank up the volunteering.
And if that doesn't work, most schools will still welcome your 35 next year.